..developments in ADC and South East important factor
As the race towards the 2027 presidential election gathers momentum,various contenders in the race in the opposition may either close ranks or chicken out for the ruling All Progressives Congress,APC.
The new development follows the pressure by notable leaders in the South East geopolitical zone on the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, to abandon the idea of running in 2027 outside of the coalition.
It was gathered that prominent personalities, including traditional leaders and business leaders, who are Obi’s personal friends from the South East, have passed words of caution to him to reconsider his decision on the 2027 election.
It was gathered that Obi has been under tremendous pressure from his associates not to divide the opposition frontier in the upcoming election, especially in the wake of recent defection of the Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into the All Progressives Congress (APC).
It was further gathered that prior to his defection to the APC, Mbah had been penciled as a likely nominee of the South East to run as vice presidential candidate of the ADC in the likelihood that Obi would opt out of the coalition.
The intention of other coalition leaders to pick an interest in Mbah, another South Easterner, to take the vice presidential position slotted to the zone did not go down well with Obi.
It was learnt that his initial intention to pull out of the coalition was in protest to the decision.
The pro-Obi stakeholders from the South East strengthened their argument in favour of the former two-term governor of Anambra State returning to the coalition with the fact that the purpose the APC quickly lobbied Mbah into its fold was to use the Enugu State governor, banking on his performance and popularity, to market the APC in the South East.
One of the stakeholders said: “They made it clear to Obi that should he elect to contest in 2027 as a lone candidate in an unknown political party, it would be much easier for the ruling party to seize his base in the South East, and thus the best bet for him in the emerging scenario is to return to the coalition.
“The APC is battle ready to cancel Obi’s influence in the South East and that is why they lobbied the Enugu State governor to be the poster boy of the APC in the region.
“If Obi contests in an obscure political party, it would be difficult for him to retain his base in the South East.”
It will be recalled that the Labour Party presidential candidate in the last general election had been unstable on his next political move for the upcoming presidential election with his supporters and aides giving the impression that he would abandon the coalition to run as a candidate of another political party, specifically the Action Alliance.
Sources additionally informed our correspondent that the seeming rapprochement in the Labour Party was a Greek gift to confuse Obi “because the APC is gunning at ensuring that he is schemed out of the presidential election through a court injunction against him in the Labour Party.
The Eagle Online also learnt that those in the ADC are also impressing it on Obi that he should not renege on the verbal agreements reached following several meetings in and outside Nigeria before the formation of the new coalition.
It was gathered that some of the several meetings were held in European countries, including Spain, where pleas were made for Obi to run as the running mate of a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.
He was said to have agreed in principle at some point during the meetings.
However, sources close to him told The Eagle Online that the former governor has decided to run either run alone if the ADC does not hand over the party’s ticket to a Southerner or allow President Bola Tinubu, who is going to be the candidate of the APC for the 2027 election, to continue in office.
One of the sources said: “It is now obvious to everyone that the mistake the PDP made in the last election was handing over the ticket of the party to Atiku when, ordinarily, it should have been the turn of the South to occupy the Presidency.
“You will recall that even Atiku’s running mate for that election, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, made reference to this when he joined others to move into the APC that the last election should have featured only Southern candidates.
“Okowa was very clear when he said it.
“So now that the South should enjoy a second term, it will definitely not be right for Obi to sell the birthright of the South to the North through Atiku.”
The sources said that despite the fact that it seems some followers of Obi, popularly called Obidients, are tending towards another shot at the presidency with their principal as running mate to Abubakar, the man in the eye of the storm is taking his time to make any commitment to any party at the moment.
This is because while the Labour Party is encumbered with several issues, the ticket of the ADC is for the taking by Abubakar, who is certain to win the party’s primaries if he contests.
It was equally gathered by The Eagle Online that Obi has set a deadline of November 2025 for himself to make his position on his 2027 future known.
One of the sources, who spoke with The Eagle Online on Monday said emphatically: “It is either Obi runs for the election as the presidential candidate of the platform he chooses, or he folds his hands and watches as President Tinubu gets a second shot at the presidency.
Read Also:Obis expulsion awaiting NEC ratification
Defections: Ini Ememobong’s shining example
“What is clearly established and was shown clearly in 2023 is that it is the turn of the South to rule.
“Anything contrary would mean that Obi is selling the birthright of the South to the North even when Northerners have said that clearly to him in several meetings with high ranking politicians from the zone.
“And that he has said he would not do.
“If he ignored Atiku in 2023 by not running with him, then he will do the same for 2027.
“My brother, the wait is not too far again.
“November is just around the corner.
“He will make his position public.
“But one thing I can assure you is that he won’t run with Atiku.”
Eagle Online
